Does Lelouch Speak Japanese?

[inulovinkit.livejournal.com]

Sounds silly, since Junjun certainly speaks Japanese, but considering that Geass takes place in a world where Britannia took over Japan and they obviously speak English there due to our little snippets of English fail in the background, this question popped into my mind.

We know Suzaku and Kallen are definitely bilingual, but what about Lelouch? I know he lived in Japan for a year before it was conquered by Britannia, so maybe a little bit...if he is fluent (which is very possible, considering Lelouch never seemed to be the one to pass up a new skill like learning a new language) then perhaps it would explain why the Black Knights thought it was so weird that he wasn't Japanese, because maybe he DID speak Japanese to them.

I just think its something interesting to think about, because due to our own language barriers in dubbing, it's something we'll probably never know.

Comments

[chansonxchou.livejournal.com]

Revellion and I think I caugh a Leloush too.

[chansonxchou.livejournal.com]

*caught

[spleener.livejournal.com]

It's Sunrise. They'll just completely ignore the language barrier issue.

[fujiappletan.livejournal.com]

Certainly expecting that.

[spleener.livejournal.com]

Well, overall, it's Sunrise, if it's more convenient for the story for there to be no language barriers then they'll blow it off entirely.

In an episode mid-season 1 (12, I think?) when Cornelia was in a meeting with people that boiled down to "Cornelia bitching about the guys in charge being soft on the Elevens and them going 'well, it's because Clovis told us to be soft on them'" you see a list of some of his old policies for assimilating the Elevens including a 5-year plan for language changeover or somesuch thing. So basically the Brits speak English and made the Japanese learn it when they took over, but more than likely they still speak Japanese among themselves. Lulu probably knows Japanese from his time with Suzaku, and probably got better at it as he grew up (remember, he was always planning on overthrowing Britannia, if he was also always planning to do it by leading an Eleven uprising he probably became fluent for that purpose.)

Again, though, it's Sunrise, aside from that one random detail I mentioned they completely blew off any language barrier issues for storytelling convenience.

The issue reminds me of how I always thought it would have been cool if the Geass dub had the Britannians in British accents and the Japanese in American accents and Lulu would speak in an American accent when Zero as a further measure to disguise his voice.

[dragonmists753.livejournal.com]

I agree that because most of the main characters are either in the upper-class or in the military and heavily involved in national politics that they'd know more than one language. I also agree that Lelouch is most likely fluent in Japanese.

What's really confusing to me is when I start to try to figure out what language they're talking when. What with it being in Japanese, subbed in English, and random bits of English thrown in, eventually I decided to stop thinking about it unless something brings attention to it in the show. And when they get to China, gah! It gives me a headache just thinking about it.

That's a good question. What language do the Black Knights speak? I figure they all know English well since Japan was conquered but I don't think Diethard and Raksharta would know enough Japanese for the meetings to be held in it. But it'd make sense to me if when those two aren't around they'd talk a lot more in Japanese. Kinda of a keeping their culture alive kinda thing, but then switching to English when those two are around, just as a polite thing.

[ipsius.livejournal.com]

Yes, Lelouch probably would be fluent in Japanese, because it just wouldn't seem in character of him to pass up an opportunity to learn a new skill.

Zero speaking Chinese would be HOTTTT though imho.

...

*brain breaks*

Yes, holy shit, yes. *___*

[rainbow-cnxn.livejournal.com]

I just pretty much assume it's English all the time. Stuff like "YESU, MAI LORDO" and whatnot strikes me as just a shallow way for Sunrise to remind us "lol, occupied by foreigners". But then, we hear phrases from the JFL and Urabe like "Nippon banzai!" which would be absolutely silly if it was said in English. Likewise, it would seem silly that 10 year-old ore!Suzaku would have spoken English while beating up Lelouch the first time they met.

Urghhh. Really, the truth of the matter is that Sunrise probably has no fucking clue, either. I think we're thinking more than they want us to, lol. This is why we leave it up to fic to address stuff like this... >_>

[rainbow-cnxn.livejournal.com]

P.S. Speaking as a biologist...icon love. ♥

[fujiappletan.livejournal.com]

*fans*

C.C. would tape it and sell it on the black market, and Kallen would shrug and say that it's all for the Black Knights' rainy day fund. XD

Ahaha YES. And Diethard would totally buy a copy.

[furato.livejournal.com]

Ahaha YES. And Diethard would totally buy a copy.
Buy? Diethard would co-produce with C.C and keep the master tape with him. I expect no less from Zero's #1 fanboy.

[furato.livejournal.com]

I...I love your icon and it makes me realise how I miss working in research. LOL *_*

[furato.livejournal.com]

Picturing Euphy asking, "Suzaku, how do you say I love you?" because she's just direct like that. ♥

[saverellawish.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, I might actually read that if its ever written o_o

[sephysarkon.livejournal.com]

/hijacking comment, sry xD;

Ditto here on the "breaking out the FY DVDs" 8Db Hahhaha, Code Geass, what are you doing to me? Doesn't help that Xing's hot *g*

~the seph

[ipsius.livejournal.com]

So then. After that, Diethard would take a small video player everywhere with him. And in his difficult moments, he'd pull out the player, listen to Zero say, "Wo ai ni," and get so inspired he'd cry sparkly shoujo tears of joy.

[-beliel.livejournal.com]

the laaaazy way to think of it. XD

[furato.livejournal.com]

ROFL XDXD

Yes please, we need more fanboy!Diethard.

[dragonmists753.livejournal.com]

soooooo good. ah the lovely crack.

*pictures Diethard listening to recording* Diethard = Mao = does not compute

[dragonmists753.livejournal.com]

lol. I love it too. I snatched it from someone awhile ago but I don't remember who. *runs away from angry crowd shouting about stealing*

I know, when I found it I was taking a break from writing a research paper. It took me forever to see the whole thing 'cause I was laughing so hard. The best part is that I had actually used some of those terms. *shakes head* icon, so true.

[miasmacloud.livejournal.com]

Lelouch must know Japanese because the Black Knights thought he was Japanese until ep ~12 or whenever they met Kirihara.

[tenshi789.livejournal.com]

I think in the Geass world, they all speak Japanese.

Or in the Dub-Geass world, they all speak English! xD It's just easier to have the plots and character developments and what not without the Language barrier thing. But realistically, then I'd say Lelouch is fluent in Japanese- the year he spent there when he was 10 is possible that he became uber fluent, and he may have learnt Japanese before hand, just as an heir-learn-languages for politics thing.

"our little snippets of English fail in the background"
makes me laugh xD

[konata-kawaii.livejournal.com]

I thought about this pretty much too.
I guess they'll all have to speak Japanese AND English for a start.
Lol, you know in that serie HEROES they speak Japanese they just subtitled it. I think it's pretty cool they didn't make them be magically able to speak english all of a sudden.

ZOMG, Kaguya teaching Zero chinese "Wo ai ni"...I can see that happen LOL. If they will do that in the show I'll watch that part over and over LOL.
Ah, this topic makes me fangirl LOL. (I mean, I already squee-d when Lulu was like "Aishite, Nunally!" lol. basically since Na-na-ri sounds like my IRL nickname. haha I PHAIL.)

And what made me LOL this season was Suzaku speaking Japanese to the Dutch fighters LOL. I'm like "WTF. Dutch people don't generally speak Japanese Suzaku." lol. I mean, I don't know anyone that can speak Japanese in such a fluent way to understand Suzaku's GHEY speech anyway. (like LOL. they should've included a dutch guy in his knightmare to go like "?" xD)

Since it's sunrise -URRR I mean anime. They will probably ignore the other language.

"due to our little snippets of English fail in the background, this question popped into my mind."

LOLZ.
I don't get why they said "Happy Birthday" in english to Viletta. That was pretty...PHAIL.

Hurr hurr, I'd love it if they're going to actually speak Chinese but I'm sure they won't LMAO. The whole Geass-world is pretty Japanese/English I guess xD.

[konata-kawaii.livejournal.com]

That's one simple and very logical answer xD

[voldy06.livejournal.com]

If Lelouch can devise a secret sign language containing over 500 words at the age of 10, then I don't see why he wouldn't be fluent in Japanese. Learning a new language is probably pretty easy for Lelouch anyway, given his intellect.